So true. I live in France, and the groups for local English speakers have the same weird mix of helpful and hostile. There's a certain type of immigrant (I'm not an expat, and neither are the vast majority of these people!) who have a deep need to prove themselves more assimilated than anyone else. To the point that lots of them even post in French in what are CLEARLY MARKED as English-speaking groups.

Then there's the other end of the spectrum- those who don't seem to even like living in France at all.

And in between, people with legit questions who expose themselves to limitless gatekeeping and oneupmanship.